Bob Naegele Jr., who sold the Minnesota Wild to Craig Leipold in 2008 and resides in Naples, Fla., was in St. Paul for Sunday’s 3-2 overtime victory over Chicago, watching from a suite.

“I had forgotten how electric that place is,” said Naegele, who brought the NHL back to Minnesota in 2000-2001.

Naegele, 73, said he doesn’t miss owning the Wild, though.

“There are seasons in our lives, and that was one season,” he said. “We completed the mission and turned it over to great ownership with great vision.”

Naegele said the Wild team he witnessed in Sunday’s OT victory over Chicago “is the future picture of the Wild.

“They were aggressive, guys who like to hit. And hey, we’ve got some very key injuries, and we still went out and took it to them. I’m excited about the future of this team.”

The first-round draft pick the Wild gave to Buffalo for Jason Pominville last month is expected to be in the No. 15 range.

There are 15 Minnesota natives in the NHL playoffs, and 10 of the 16 playoff teams have players from Minnesota.

They are Nick Leddy of the Blackhawks, Keith Ballard of the Canucks, David Backes and Jordan Leopold of the Blues, Justin Braun of the Sharks, Paul Martin (disabled) and Matt Niskanen of the Penguins, Matt Hendricks and Jack Hillen of the Capitals, Jake Gardiner of the Maple Leafs, Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh of the Rangers, Kyle Okposo of the Islanders, and Zach Parise and Matt Cullen of the Wild.

It’s been about six months since college football’s winningest coach, John Gagliardi, retired after 60 years at St. John’s. On Friday evening in Collegeville, Gagliardi, 86, who coached four national championship teams, will be in the stands as a fan for the Johnnies’ spring game at Clemens Stadium.

Asked if he’ll be second-guessing his coaching successor, Gary Fasching, from the stands, Gagliardi laughed.

“I probably will because now I’ll be one of the fans, and I know the fans up in the stands know everything,” Gagliardi said. “I always marvel how the fans know everything without having watched our films and practices. But they know everything immediately.

“I’m hoping to get some of that insight.”

Edina’s Bernie Kukar, who refereed in two Super Bowls during 22 seasons as a NFL official, and six other St. John’s grads will officiate Friday’s game in Collegeville.

That was former Gophers men’s basketball coach Clem Haskins, who lives in Campbellsville, Ky., dining with some former players at J.T Hoyt’s in Minneapolis last week.

Ex-Twins pitcher Scott Baker, 31, who received a $5.5 million, one-year free agent deal from the Chicago Cubs in November, is still sidelined with a tender elbow.

Wally Ellenson, the Gophers’ basketball freshman, continues to excel for the track team this spring, having won the high jump with a leap of 6 feet, 8-3/4 inches in last weekend’s meet at Hamline University.

Former Wild general manager Doug Risebrough, who winters in Palm Springs, is a special consultant scout for the New York Rangers.

Ex-North Stars goaltender Caesare Maniago, who resides in Vancouver, was in town this week for the funeral of a friend.

Golden State sharpshooter Stephen Curry, whom the Timberwolves passed up in the 2009 NBA draft, has made a regional cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated.

The Nebraska baseball team the Gophers host this weekend at Siebert Field is coached by former Angels, White Sox and Astros major league outfielder Darin Erstad, 38.

Former Hill-Murray star Steve Rohlik is the new men’s hockey coach at Ohio State.

DON’T PRINT THAT

Pssst: An unresolved issue regarding the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium lease arrangement with the Vikings for the 2014-2015 seasons is which soft drink — Coke or Pepsi , or both — will be sold during games.

The University has an exclusive deal with Coke, the Vikings with Pepsi. It’ll be interesting which, or if both, get signage in the stadium. Certain to get signage is Gatorade, which has an exclusive arrangement with the NFL.

Among reasons the Blackhawks led their playoff series 3-1 against the Wild entering Thursday night’s game in Chicago was former Minnesota Mr. Hockey Nick Leddy from Eden Prairie.

Leddy, 22, was acquired from the Wild in a 2010 trade for Cam Barker. The 6-foot former Gophers defenseman is in his third season with the Blackhawks and can become a restricted free agent after the season.

Leddy’s $990,000 contract is prorated for the NHL’s truncated 48-game season, but he is expected to make another $325,000 in performance bonuses.

The Wild made the smooth-skating Leddy their first-round draft pick (16th overall) in 2009.

Leddy was back home for several days while the Blackhawks were in St. Paul to play the Wild in Games 3 and 4 of their opening-round series.

“Got to see my family and friends; it was awesome,” Leddy said. “It was great to get a home-cooked meal. We had walleye at my dad’s house.”

Leddy said he enjoys playing at the X.

“A great atmosphere,” he said.

But now he belongs to the Blackhawks, not the Wild.

“(The NHL) is a business, and this is my team now,” he said.

OVERHEARD

Legendary St. John’s football coach John Gagliardi, 86, on life since he retired six months ago: “I can hardly get away from my reclining chair.”

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